I am just thankful we presented so many "great" photo ops for our big brother. It is very fulfilling to have been able to help provide the material that has led to such a love of photography. That knit beanie was an absolute favorite of mine.

Two thoughts - first, remember that crocheted beanie that Ann persisted in wearing all the time? And, second, what does it say for Louise and me that we didn't get our pictures taken very often at all?

I wanted to kid about looks being deceiving, but they really do look innocent. A coment to Elizabeth's comment about not being photographed, maybe we weren't as available. We might have been doing the dishes. (?) I'm trying to figure out how old everyone is in the picture.

Mother cut my hair when I was in second grade, so this is either when I was in first grade and Judy was in fourth, or the summer before first grade. I look really healthy, so it can't be much before 1948 - maybe. That would make me about 6 years old.

Please note the color film. This was probably the first roll of color film I ever had. I'm assuming I took these color pictures but maybe I didn't. I am learning how to spell insouciant. I have always been insouciant, haven't I?

Remember how we would go out to the old hoop (without any net?) on the outside of the grainery (old train car) and "shoot hoops"? Bouncing that well loved basketball on the hard Wyoming ground was a real art. Did we ever hit the basket?

I had assumed that we had said all that could be said about this picture - hope I'm not too late! I thought the basketball hoop was on the light pole for a while???Dwight? And insouciant, you are not! And the color film was a miracle, but the black and whites are still wonderful. Judy, so glad we have something to entertain you with now that you can talk again.

The basketball backboard was on the light pole when I left home. Judy, you should know better if you don't want to be left out. According to American Heritage, ionsouciant means: Blithe lack of concern; nonchalance.Therefore, blithe insouciance is an oxymoron. Definition of oxymoron:A figure of speech in which incongruous or contradictory terms appear side by side; a compressed paradox. Adjective: oxymoronic.Better term: blithe oxymoron.

Trust Dwight to get to the crux of my "blithe-blythe" use of words that I love the sound of because they roll of the tongue so trippingly. And don't remind me of where that preposition is in the wrong place. I still think the two words together are wonderful. (Tee-hee-and you had to look it up - good for you.)

I already knew thank you very much; I just wished to confirm my prior knowledge with a more authoritative source so I could rest assured I was absolutely correct, which I was. I pretty much have always been blythely insouciant my entire life.

I hate big words. I don't remember them. I can't pronouce them. And I sure as anything do not know how to spell them. Whatever it is that Dwight says, he certainly is..... The question is are the rest of us?

Certainly! We all have a certain amount of insouciance, to say nothing of a blythe spirit - How long can this thread keep up. And, Judy, big words are wonderful. They keep folks guessing as to your exact meaning. I used to tell my 1st graders not to be discombobulated. That kept them quiet for a while.

Back to the backboard. We have to keep this posting going. I think we are at a record???The backboard moved over to the train car granary in an attempt to get the grass to grow on the west side of the house. Steve and I would play and play and occasionally Dad would join in - but he wasn't any fun because he could actually hit the rim (of course Steve could, as well). Speaking of playing basketball (no this isn't another comment about asparagus), remember when we would play baseball in the area that eventually grew a fairly decent lawn on the west side of the house? Didn't the light pole constitute first base? I remember one day when I was pitching and we were using a hard ball. My pitch must have been "perfect", the ball was hit and, on its way to the corral, it was intercepted by my face/cheek bone. Dad was so scared he threw the hardball into outer darkness (outhouse disposal).

Studying this picture, it just struck me. Look how henpecked Steve looks, with a sorrowful look on his face while the two sisters are gaily smiling. It just occurred to me that Steve had to go through what I went through. Although there is some evidence that he pursued the sisters to engage in a life of nefarious activities.

what a twisted perspective on life you have, Dwight dear. Steve was the leader of the pack in many of the twists and turns our lives took. Judy and I had to run to keep up with him, probably more me than Judy because she was not as easily convinced as I was that something was a "good idea".

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Welcome to the Blood Family Blog

Welcome to our blog. We look forward to getting acquainted with and linking to other familes who want to know more about who we are. We have come a long way from our rural beginnings in the small country valley of Penrose in northwest Wyoming, but our roots and fond memories are still attached to where we began.

The Blood family blog is an information center for the extended family of Russell and Minnie Blood. The Blood family is a large and diverse family. We have school teachers, college professors, attorneys, financial planners, day care providers, pharmacists, engineers, coaches, realtors, quilters, crafters, scrapbookers, photographers, writers, wood workers, metal crafters, college students, young marrieds, old marrieds, Republicans, and a few Democrats. We live all over the country. We hope you enjoy our story.